TRNSMT, Harry Styles and other big Glasgow gigs get events licences

The organisers behind several of the city’s biggest shows over the coming months have now secured temporary public entertainment licences.

Performances are being organised as covid rules lift and Cllr Alex Wilson, who chaired the licensing committee, said: “I think we have to get Glasgow back up and running, there is no doubt about it.

“We need to get people back out there again and enjoying themselves. It has been a miserable last couple of years. With all this entertainment on show, Glasgow certainly seems the place to be.”

Rangers’ Ibrox Stadium will host Harry Styles on June 11 while the Scottish Football Association has three big name acts at Hampden Park, with Ed Sheeran on June 16 and 17, Liam Gallagher on June 26 and Calvin Harris on July 2.

Promotion company DF Concerts has been handed a licence for two gigs in Bellahouston Park, with Green Day coming to Glasgow on June 29 followed by Red Hot Chilli Peppers on July 1.

It has also secured permission for a Guns ‘N’ Roses concert on July 5 and the fifth edition of the TRNSMT music festival, between July 8 and 10, which will both take place in Glasgow Green.

Archie MacIver, representing DF Concerts, said: “Every year that goes by, lessons are learned, procedures honed. Every year the festival has got better and bigger, not necessarily in terms of overall numbers attending but in terms of its reputation both nationally and internationally, which brings a lot of kudos and cash to the city and its economy.

“This year we have just shy of about 70 different acts performing over the course of the weekend. Paolo Nutini, The Strokes, Lewis Capaldi, Sigrid, Nile Rodgers and so on. It’s a very diverse and exciting range of artists performing.”

Riverside Festival, at the Riverside Museum between June 2 and 4, has received a licence while two events at Queen’s Park Recreation Ground have also been given the go ahead. The Disco Sessions, a dance event, will be held on April 30 and May 1 before Primal Scream perform on July 1 and 2.

Organised by Mark Mackechnie, the Disco Sessions have previously taken place at Queen’s Park Arena but have been moved due to licensing issues last year.

Inhouse Events Solutions has been awarded a licence for a live music event at Queen’s Park Arena on June 4 and 5.

On the Hampden Park applications, Bailie Norman MacLeod said he wanted to see the cost of traffic and crowd management met by the organisers.

Speaking to a Scottish FA representative, he said: “It is expected, reasonable and helpful if the additional costs suffered by Police Scotland and the council in putting in place an appropriate and agreed traffic management strategy are met by the promoter and/or yourselves as the holder of the licence.”

He also asked the organisers of the Harry Styles show, DF Concerts and Rangers, to tackle parking problems around Ibrox. They agreed to talks with the councillor.

Bailie MacLeod said: “We have in surrounding areas to the stadium, continuing, significant problems with inappropriate parking. For your concerts in Bellahouston Park that doesn’t happen, because of the stewards you pay for and put in place.”